We were lucky to catch up with Charmica Curry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Charmica , thanks for joining us today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

YES I take vacations!! I will scream it from the top of my lungs to any and every business owner…TAKE VACATIONS!

As a business owner, I keep things going by taking breaks as needed. If my mind doesn’t tell me it’s time for a break, my body most definitely will. I spend a lot of time in prayer and listening for God’s voice and direction when it comes to my business. Have I always gotten it right? Have I made it to where I want to be as yet? No! However, I continue with my dream and vision for my business because I am not in this alone. For now it’s a team of two… me and God!

My advise to entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation would be to remember your WHY. Why did you start and want to become your own boss? A part of my why is because I wanted to be able to make moves, travel and make memoires without having to ask anyone’s permission. Being an entrepreneur to me means freedom. Freedom to make mistakes, to learn and to create. It means freedom to live, laugh, learn and love the things that I am passionate about. And one of those things is my business.

It’s important that you take time to rest, recharge and rejuvenate yourself as an entrepreneur. You can’t be at your best and bring out your brilliance if you are tired, stressed and over worked. It’s already a challenge being a part of the entrepreneur world, so taking time to remember who you are, your why behind what you do, and resting is just as important as the services that you provide.

Charmica , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Charmica Bernette Curry. I am a mother, sister, believer in Christ Jesus, a lover of chocolate chip cookies and the CEO of my business.

“Mom, I’m Ugly!” Words no parent wants to hear from the lips of their child! This was announced by my son, who had suffered with severe skin flare ups because of eczema, requiring steroid creams that only masked the outbreaks and soothed the itch for a while. After discovering the amazing benefits of Sea Moss, and using the raw Sea Moss gel on his skin for about 3 months, and seeing how it helped relieve the itching, while also helping too repair his skin, I knew I had to find an easier way for him to use the Sea Moss all over his body.

Charmica Bernette Skincare was birthed out of a need to help my son. I create natural, junk free skin care products that only have the best essential oils and ingredients that specifically help in relieve eczema, psoriasis, dry, itchy skin and acne, along with other skin issues that our bodies may encounter. Every product is made with loads of love, is safe for children and persons with hyper sensitive and sensitive skin.

All of my product are infused with Sea Moss, which is a mineral from the ocean. I have created various soaps, body butter, sugar scrubs, hair and beard oils, eczema salves, and lip balms. We are currently getting ready to roll out my new simple 3-step-system that will help you love the skin that you are in even more!

I provide a solution to skin issues that have for too long been treated with medicines that mask the issues for a moment, not alleviate it. I help people regain their confidence back in the way the feel about themselves!

My biggest accomplishment to date is being a part of a community called the Black Beauty Collective. It’s a collective of minority business owners that are housed in a brick and mortar in Hyde Park Chicago. My brand is also on the Amazon platform, and I am working to expand to more areas as I grow.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding my business was not easy. When I started Charmica Bernette Skincare, I really didn’t know what direction I was going to take. I wasn’t clear about who my target audience was at the time or what products would be the most beneficial or lucrative for my business. These factors along with funding, in the beginning made me question if this was even a wise decision.

I prayed about this new venture, sought some wise counsel, and started this chapter in my life called Skincare! The initial capital, though small it was at the time, came from my savings and my family.

My business started while we were still in the middle of many COVID restrictions. I started first by taking pre-orders and and then making extras with every order I filled. Over the summer months in 2020 I travelled by car to 13 different cities to participate in popup events. They were not all lucrative or successful, but the exposure and repeat customers from all over is what helped me gain more capital and get more exposure for my products. Word of mouth and product results is one of the best ways to keep the money coming into your business.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my audience on social media by being consistent.

Social media in the beginning was a place I shied away from. My pages were not public…until they were, and I was not a fan of being seen or even making videos that required me to speak to an audience. However, one night, God told me that it was time for my voice to be heard. Of course I was not excited about this, but I was obedient.

I started going live on Facebook and eventually Instagram to talk about Sea Moss and its benefits. I would make videos of me pouring soap and making my best selling Face & Body Butter at least 2 -3 time per week. Eventually I learned how to make reels and then ventured onto the Tik Tic space. These platform have helped me grow my audience.

My advise for those just starting to build social media presence would be to ask for help and not be afraid to put yourself out there. Start where you are. Don’t compare yourself with other people in your market and their videos or marketing strategy. Learn from what you see and take from it what you think would be beneficial to you and your brand.

There are enough people in the world for everyone to get what God has for them in this world of business. Believe in yourself, believe in your brand and make sure your goals and objectives are clear for your target audience. But most of all, be authentically you and don’t forget your why!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.charmicabernette.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/charmicabernetteskincare/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charmicabernetteskincare/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charmicacurry/

Image Credits
Dream Lens Photography for family and single pictures.